The Norton 16H, one of a number of motorcycles used during World War Two, proved itself, among other things as a capable despatch rider’s machine
‘By 1939, what the War Office really wanted was a lightweight motorcycle, not exceeding 250lb’
Initially a direct replacement for the horse, by the time World War Two broke out, the military motorcycle had been tested and adopted by all the nations involved. However, while Germany’s armed forces took to two wheels with gusto, using the motorcycle and motorcycle combination as personnel carrier, fighting vehicle and even successfully fitting tracks to it, the rest of the world lagged behind somewhat.
Among Britain’s military the motorcycle was mainly used for despatch riding, convoy escort duties and reconnaissance, the latter a particularly risky role. The Norton 16H was one of relatively few solo machines which emerged reliably through extensive testing prior to the outbreak of World War Two and boasted a design which could be traced directly back to 1911. With an estimated 100,000 made, the Norton WD16H would have the longest production run of all the military motorcycles of World War Two, remaining on front- line duties across the world, for the duration.
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